Alan and Alex Stokes, popular TikTok stars and YouTubers were charged by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office after allegedly staging a bank robbery prank.

The twins from Irvine, California has been each charged with one felony count of false imprisonment effected by violence, menace, fraud or deceit, and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting an emergency. The charges stem from a pair of fake bank robberies in Irvine on Oct. 15.

In a YouTube video, they are seen running away from a building while wearing ski masks and carrying duffel bags which are filled with dollar bills.

Then twins ordered an Uber but then the driver refused to drive the brothers. A bystander witnessing the incident believed the men were attempting to carjack the Uber after robbing a bank and called police.

When police arrived, they held the Uber driver at gunpoint but later released him after determining that he was not involved. At the time, the police issued a warning to the brothers about their behaviour and allowed them to leave.

A videographer was filming the whole incident for the purpose of being shared on social media.

According to the D.A.’s office, the Stokes brothers performed the same kind of prank four hours later at the UC Irvine campus, again prompting a police response.

Todd Spitzer, Orange Country district attorney did not laugh at the attempted joke.

“These were not pranks. These are crimes that could have resulted in someone getting seriously injured or even killed.”

Alan and Alex will face up to four years in prison if they are convicted.

In other news:

Two UWI Scientists Appointed To International Science Council

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Dear Editor:

So, we are on lockdown until September 30, 2020.  Let’s pray that everything works out by then.  We are really a lockdown-weary people right now.  Life cannot continue on this road beyond September – in my opinion.

One of the dirty secrets about COVID-19 in our country, is an ill-prepared and Ill-equipped healthcare infrastructure.  We did not reach here in 2017.  We know that our healthcare system is in critical condition, and we knew it for decades now.

It looks like many of us will die or become wounded from COVID-19 for life.  Thanks to a half century of inept, incompetent and plain old vision-less black governance. 

So, if things do not improve on the coronavirus front by September 30, 2020 – we will have lots more weeping and wailing to do for our love ones and country, as life must go on – for all that it’s worth.

The first order of business should be to:  Break the culture of the pervasive government dependency in The Bahamas and move full steam ahead with the implementation of local government on New Providence Island.  There is an unacceptable and unsustainable level of dependency on the national government – by the people; even in good times.

Next, let move to build a healthcare system that’s wholly wholesome for our people and nation; but progressive vision will be required.

That’s where 2022 come in folks.  Let’s get to know every Tom, Dick, and Harry; and Mary, Sue and Jane – and all the others who will come our way to seek the majority support. 

Let’s ask them about their plans to fix our healthcare system.  Let’s ask them about their vision for local government on New Providence Island.  Let’s ask them about their plans to correct the unproductive culture of government dependency.

Yes, let’s ask them about their national vision for the country.  It cannot be just tax, borrow and spend – as usual.  It cannot be a broken centralized bureaucracy for five more years.  It simply cannot be the same old-same old political jive and madness, like locking-down the country in hopes that the coronavirus disappears by the end of the lockdown period.

God knows it.

Regards,

Dennis Dames

Nassau, The Bahamas 

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